This Formwork Erection and Stripping SWMS (Safe Work Method Statement) is pre-filled and covers erecting, pouring against and stripping formwork and falsework for slabs, walls, columns and footings. It covers 39 activities, from design approvals and the pre-start briefing to stripping, back-propping and emergency response, with the hazards, control measures and risk ratings before and after controls for each. It's written by WHS specialists, aligned to Australian WHS legislation, and fully editable in Microsoft Word.
Who it's for
Formwork contractors and formworkers
Concreters and structural concrete subcontractors
Builders and head contractors on multi-storey projects
Civil contractors forming footings, pile caps, kerbs and channels
Use it to
Hand clients and principal contractors the SWMS they ask for
Apply for tenders and new jobs with your safety paperwork ready
Get through prequalification with Avetta, Cm3 and other contractor portals
Induct new workers and run toolbox talks on the task
What this SWMS covers
Approved formwork and falsework design, exclusion zones and pre-start planning
Live traffic lanes, overhead powerlines and buried services
Ground conditions under falsework, and footing forms in excavations
Delivery, stacking, manual handling and inspection of formwork components
EWP, mobile scaffold and ladder access
Erecting wall forms, column boxes, falsework frames and props
Falls from decks and leading edges, edge protection and uncovered penetrations
Deck loading, crane handling of table and gang forms, and dogging
Saws, nail guns, powder-actuated tools and silica from drilling concrete
Pre-pour inspection, form bursts and monitoring during the pour
Strength checks, stripping sequence, back-propping and denailing stripped material
Weather, wet concrete burns and emergency response to collapse, falls or crush injury
What's included
Hazards and control measures for 39 work activities
Risk ratings before and after controls, with a 5x5 risk matrix and the hierarchy of controls
PPE requirements checklist and high risk construction work checklist
Plant and equipment list, maintenance checks and the licences needed for dogging, rigging, scaffolding and EWPs
Relevant Australian Standards, including AS 3610.1 for formwork and AS/NZS 4994.1 for temporary edge protection
Training in the specific formwork system, suspended worker rescue and the stripping sequence
Site specific hazards section for anything unique to your job
Worker sign-off sheet and worker consultation record
Why use this template
Saves hours compared with writing a SWMS from a blank page
Covers the most common hazards and control measures for this work, ready to use out of the box
Fully editable, so you can add, remove or change anything to suit your site and how your team works
Helps your business stay compliant, with risk ratings, worker sign-off and consultation records already set up
How it works
Buy online and download straight away. You'll also get an email with your link.
Add your logo, ABN, project and site details.
Check it suits your site and task, edit anything you need to, and consult your workers before you finalise it.
Brief your team and collect signatures.
Common questions
Do I need a SWMS for formwork erection and stripping?
A SWMS is legally required when the job is high risk construction work, and most formwork jobs are, for example decks with a fall of more than 2 metres, footing forms in a trench deeper than 1.5 metres, or work where cranes, telehandlers and concrete pumps are moving. On a smaller job outside those situations a SWMS isn't mandatory, but you still have to manage the risks and a SWMS is a sound way to record how. Head contractors and prequalification portals ask for one either way.
Does it cover stripping and back-propping?
Yes. It covers stripping approval and concrete strength checks, stripping slab soffits, walls, columns and edge forms, back-propping and reshoring, and handling stripped material with protruding nails and ties.
Can I change it?
Yes. It's a Microsoft Word file, so you can add, remove or change any hazard, control or rating, and add your own logo and details.
Does it suit my state?
Yes. It's written to the model WHS laws and suits all states and territories, including Victoria under the OHS Act and Regulations.
What if it doesn't suit my work?
You're covered by our 30-day money-back guarantee if it isn't fit for purpose.
